Excessive loss of feathers?

[stubbornhill]

Not sure if this is the right section, but I don't think it is a pest issue. I have ten, 16 week old chicks. They seem to loose an aweful lot of feathers. Mostly the short downy looking ones. To look at the chickens, you wouldn't notice that they have feather loss, but every week when I clean the coup/run I rake up a bunch of feathers. Is this normal? Thank you!

 

[LarryPQ]

Well it is hot, and they are getting in their big-kid feathers.

I would go out at night with a flashlight, and check for mites & lice, just in case.

You may also want to up their protien intake if they start to look a little bald-ish.

 

[savingpurple]

All I know is up untill about 2 weeks ago, when mine were 15 weeks, they had feathers all over the ground. I thought how can so many be on the ground and they are still fully feathered?? LOL

Someone on here said that a chicken goes through 3 sets of feathers in a short period of time, like before they are 4 months or some thing like that. Found that to be interesting, and also an explanation of why I had so many feathers on the gound!

 

[remuda1]

I was wondering the same thing... I only have eight in the run right now and they all look great, but I wonder how much feather loss is normal. Will be interested to see the responses to your question

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[stubbornhill]

Great to know I am not alone! We have had hens before, but have always got them when they were older. This is our first time raising from day olds. Good information in your responses to me. Thank you! I will check again for pests just in case, but hope that it is really part of their cycle of getting "big kid" feathers.

 

[Haunted Chicken]

So glad you asked this. It looks like a feather pillow exploded in my backyard lol. I was starting to wonder. Good to know it's normal.